I need help - young, near-poverty US citizen trying to move in w/ Canadian BF

[searchingforchange]

Hi,

Looking to move in with my boyfriend of 2 years by August. I am stable enough with him that I would get married to him if it was my only option to become a Permanent Resident or Citizen or whatever (I'm not even sure the terminology). Not sure what to do as we are not married yet, and I was hoping to put that off until I at least live with him a while. I have a passport. I need advice specific to my situation, and I have been unable to find a way to contact a human being for FREE (I don't want to waste money on a damn 50$+ talk fee if at all possible) for answers I need.

My relation and money situation with my family is very shaky and unstable. I want to move in with my BF's family in Canada, but I only have a small part time job that I have worked at for a few months, trying to save up to move. I have a GED and some college, but no degree and this is my first job I am working at currently. It is janitorial. Cannot afford college in my home country, and am too mentally unstable for it. I want to get out from my hellish home as soon as possible. I wanted to be out for good by August 1st. If that is too soon, what is the soonest I can permanently move out? What route do I take? What programs? Do I need a lawyer? Please give me all the information and advice you know that might possibly help. Thanks

P.S. please do not insult me, I don't mean this post as an attack to anyone and I'm agitated today. Thank you.

 

[Sous02]

Hi,

Looking to move in with my boyfriend of 2 years by August. I am stable enough with him that I would get married to him if it was my only option to become a Permanent Resident or Citizen or whatever (I'm not even sure the terminology). Not sure what to do as we are not married yet, and I was hoping to put that off until I at least live with him a while. I have a passport. I need advice specific to my situation, and I have been unable to find a way to contact a human being for FREE (I don't want to waste money on a damn 50$+ talk fee if at all possible) for answers I need.

My relation and money situation with my family is very shaky and unstable. I want to move in with my BF's family in Canada, but I only have a small part time job that I have worked at for a few months, trying to save up to move. I have a GED and some college, but no degree and this is my first job I am working at currently. It is janitorial. Cannot afford college in my home country, and am too mentally unstable for it. I want to get out from my hellish home as soon as possible. I wanted to be out for good by August 1st. If that is too soon, what is the soonest I can permanently move out? What route do I take? What programs? Do I need a lawyer? Please give me all the information and advice you know that might possibly help. Thanks

P.S. please do not insult me, I don't mean this post as an attack to anyone and I'm agitated today. Thank you.

As a us citizen you can visit your bf for extended periods. Working will be difficult however and someone who knows more can answer that. If you read this forum you can find all the answers you need without using a lawyer.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

If that is too soon, what is the soonest I can permanently move out? What route do I take? What programs? Do I need a lawyer? Please give me all the information and advice you know that might possibly help.

You cannot move to Canada. You can come as a visitor but that does not allow you to work, obtain health coverage or anything like that. Honestly, with no solid ties to the US and no proof of sufficient finances, there is a good chance you will be refused entry.

Tolive in Canada, you will need to apply for PR. This will require you to become common-law (live together continuously for a year) or marry your partner.

 

[scylla]

What others have said. You cannot simply move to Canada. All you can do at this time is visit temporarily. If you show up at the US border with no real ties to the US (i.e. no job, no assets) and the CBSA officer suspects you may be trying to move to Canada without authorization, it's quite possible you may be turned back and refused entry. If you do manage to enter successfully, you won't be allowed to work, won't be allowed to attend school, and won't have access to the Canadian health care system (you'll just be in Canada as a visitor).

Getting a temporary work permit would be one way you could move to Canada legally. However this process is quite complicated and involves finding an employer in Canada who is willing to go through a long and expensive process to hire you. Given your education and past experience, I don't think this is a realistic option for you.

The most realistic option is for your boyfriend to sponsor you for PR. In order to do this, you must be married or you must be common law. Common law means you have lived together continuously for at least one full year.

FYI - you cannot become a citizen directly. You must become a Canadian permanent resident first.

There is no requirement to have a lawyer.

 

[scylla]

As a us citizen you can visit your bf for extended periods.

That's not really accurate. If and how long someone is allowed into Canada is up to the CBSA officer they encounter at the border. Visiting is a privilege for Americans - not a right. We've seen plenty of Americans refused entry into Canada.

 

[searchingforchange]

How do I "live for a year in Canada" to become a Common-Law partner if I can't get a Permanent Resident thing? How would that work....?

 

[searchingforchange]

Also what do you guys mean "No solid ties to the U.S. so I will likely be refused entry"? I am not homeless, I live with family. What classifies as a "solid tie"? I am also currently employed, not jobless.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

How do I "live for a year in Canada" to become a Common-Law partner if I can't get a Permanent Resident thing? How would that work....?

You would have to come as a visitor and extend your stay.

Also what do you guys mean "No solid ties to the U.S. so I will likely be refused entry"? I am not homeless, I live with family. What classifies as a "solid tie"? I am also currently employed, not jobless.

You have a fairly basic job that is easy to leave, you don't own your home, you're not going to school, you have no family ties in the US (family ties being a spouse, children or elderly parents that you care for).

 

[searchingforchange]

so, by refused entry, does that mean I won't even be able to visit???

 

[Leon]

so, by refused entry, does that mean I won't even be able to visit???

If immigration doesn't like the looks of you. They think you do not have strong ties to your home country, you can't prove to them that you have a home and a job, they see you are bringing more luggage than for a vacation, they see you are bringing important papers with you and family photos etc. and they believe you plan to overstay or work illegaly, they can refuse you entry and in that case, you should ask them what you should do to visit again. If you try again too soon, you could have a problem.

 

[scylla]

so, by refused entry, does that mean I won't even be able to visit???

What we are saying is that if you show up looking like you're visiting for a weekend - there's probably a good chance you'll be fine. If you show up with lots of stuff looking like you're coming on an extended trip, that's where they may probe further and may not end up letting you into Canada. However this is ultimately up to the CBSA officer you encounter at the border and it's impossible for anyone to guess what will happen in advance.

It would likely be easiest/best if you got married and your boyfriend then sponsored you for PR. That would mean it would still be a number of months before you can actually move to Canada. During that time you could certainly visit, however my suggestion would be to keep those visits short since you lack ties to the US.

 

[searchingforchange]

ok, about the marriage thing, I pulled this off of the CIC website:


"If you sponsor a family member to immigrate to Canada, you must provide proof that you can:

meet basic needs—such as food, clothing and shelter—for yourself and your family,
support your relative financially and
make sure your spouse or relative does not need to ask for financial help from the government."

1. My boyfriend is younger than I am. He is working at a first job. What do they mean meet basic needs/support me (the spouse) financially ?
2. I am on medication for mental health. It is impossible for me to go off that medication right now, or else I risk getting very bad, bad things happening in my mind. I cannot afford my medicine (one of them costs 900$ a month) and I rely on government help for that. (as a side note - my family members make my symptoms worse by stressing me out, which is one of the many reasons I want to move out. If I were to go off medicine now while living with them, it would be suicide - figuratively and literally)

As for marriage, what would I do to not look... uh... "suspicious" I guess, to the Canadian government? Would I arrange several trips to Canada to prove to the country that I am serious about it, or something? What about the wedding ceremony....? I kinda need this spelled out for me. Thanks

 

[canuck_in_uk]

1. My boyfriend is younger than I am. He is working at a first job. What do they mean meet basic needs/support me (the spouse) financially ?
2. I am on medication for mental health. It is impossible for me to go off that medication right now, or else I risk getting very bad, bad things happening in my mind. I cannot afford my medicine (one of them costs 900$ a month) and I rely on government help for that. (as a side note - my family members make my symptoms worse by stressing me out, which is one of the many reasons I want to move out. If I were to go off medicine now while living with them, it would be suicide - figuratively and literally)

As for marriage, what would I do to not look... uh... "suspicious" I guess, to the Canadian government? Would I arrange several trips to Canada to prove to the country that I am serious about it, or something? What about the wedding ceremony....? I kinda need this spelled out for me. Thanks

1. It means that as a couple, you need to show you can support yourselves in Canada without welfare.

2. You will not have any assistance in paying for your meds if you are visiting in Canada. Going back and forth to the US to get your meds would most definitely arouse CBSA's suspicions and probably result in you being refused entry and possibly issued with an Exclusion Order.

Have you ever actually met your boyfriend in person? What is the relationship background?

 

[searchingforchange]

1. It means that as a couple, you need to show you can support yourselves in Canada without welfare.

2. You will not have any assistance in paying for your meds if you are visiting in Canada. Going back and forth to the US to get your meds would most definitely arouse CBSA's suspicions and probably result in you being refused entry and possibly issued with an Exclusion Order.

Have you ever actually met your boyfriend in person? What is the relationship background?

Met my boyfriend online through a Massively-Multiplayer-Online-Game (MMO) years ago. Forged friendship which turned to love. I can see myself years from now with him in a happy marriage, to be honest. My boyfriend lives with his family, he does not have a house of his own, they are loving and willing to take me in. You could say that, in a weird sense, it's almost like his parents are adopting a daughter-in-law. I have been in a relationship for 2 years with my BF. Webcam(seen and talked to eachother on Skype) to him and his family many many times. I want nothing more than to be a loving member of the household.

As for medicine, maybe I can work on a way to get different medicine that is cheaper. I will have to ask my doctor. I am willing to try anything except go completely cold-turkey off of it. Also what is an Exclusion Order...? Does that mean I'd be permanently disallowed from going to Canada at all?

What about visiting my boyfriend for short visits, to 'prove I am serious' for my case?.... Any advice on that? Like, visiting for 2 or 3 weeks at a time then going back home to U.S. ?

 

[scylla]

You can take a maximum of 90 days worth of medication with you when you enter Canada. Beyond that, the medication would need to be purchased in Canada. As previously explained, as a visitor in Canada - you will have no health care coverage and will have to pay for everything on your own. Even once you are a PR and have health care coverage, it's quite likely your medication will not be covered unless you or your spouse work for a company that provides additional coverage for medications (not all employers do).

An exclusion order bans you from entering Canada for a year.

Sure, you can enter Canada for 2-3 weeks and then leave. However you can't just keep leaving for a day and then re-entering over and over again. Sooner or later this will upset CBSA since you'll be behaving as a resident.